Kicking tee



June 23, 1970 w. H. WILLIAMS KICKING TEE Filed March 12, 1968 INVENTORUnited States Patent Office 3,516,667 Patented June 23, 1970 3,516,667KICKIN G TEE William H. Williams, 701 Hobbs Drive, Silver Spring, Md.20904 Filed Mar. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 712,480 Int. Cl. A63b 71/02 U.S. Cl.273-55 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support for a footballwhich aids in kicking the ball comprising a base having an open end, aclosed end, and sides, upstanding elements on each side adjacent saidopen end, and a raised portion at the closed end.

This invention broadly relates to a device used to support a game ballfor kicking; more specifically, the invention relates to a kicking teefor a football.

The American game of football is growing each year in popularity, asmeasured by the numbers of spectators and participants. The game has, inits development, experienced vast changes in rules and techniques whichhave given rise to a high degree of competitiveness, thus bringing aboutspecialized skills in performance. Recently, a greater emphasis has beenplaced on the kicking aspect of the game. Due to the large number ofparticipants and the better equipment used in the modern game, thequality of the competing teams has increased at all levels both instrictly regulated football (school and professional teams) and in theless regulated football games (civic, intramural, and neighborhoodteams). This increased quality of teams and the football leagues resultin closer games which may often be decided by a few points. Thus, in themodern football game each point must be considered essential and kickersmust be available which can produce these points by field goals and PAT(point after touchdown). Furthermore, on kick offs the on-side" kick isoften employed in an effort to regain the offensive after a score. Allof these tactical plays, i.e. kick off, field goals, and PAT areperformed by the place kicker.

The place kicker uses a support for the ball called a tee. Although onetee is conventionally used for kick off and a second for PAT and fieldgoal, i.e. scoring kicks, it is possible to use a single tee for bothtypes of kicks. The different tees result from practical considerationsin that the scoring kicks the ball is snapped and the defense rushes thekicker holder so they dont have time to receive the snap and place theball on the tee in the proper position before the on-rushing defendersoverwhelm them and prevent the kick. Therefore, the scoring kicks aresnapped to a receiver who quickly places the ball on a flat supportingtee just as the kicker is ready to kick. In the non-scoring kick orkick-off, a holder places the ball on a tee and stays to support it.Generally, for all types of place kicks (scoring and non-scoring) theball should be aligned with the kicker on a line bisecting the middle ofthe goal posts. The ball should be tilted-toward the kicker at a varyingangle with the field. At the moment of kicking, the foot should engagethe ball at a point about five inches up the seam from that end of theball which touches the tee. The placement of the ball, while being oneimportant factor, must of course be complemented by the correct motionsof the kicker.

The present invention is particularly directed to a tee used for thekick-off. This invention provides an improved tee which allows greaterheight and distance on the long sible and high to give the kicking teamsufficient time to reach the receiver, i.e. to cover the ball.Alternatively, the on-side kick may be used.

Pursuant to football rules that provide for on-side kicks with thestipulation that once the ball has been kicked 10 yards, it becomes afree ball and the team that recovers it gains possession. This tactichas become a key method of attempting to gain control of the ball, mostoften employed when only a short period of time remains in the game.When attempting this style kick, the ball is dribbled or bounced alongthe ground toward the forward receivers stationed 10 yards distant, onthe chance that it will take an unusual bounce away from them and not berecovered by a member of that team; or that one of the forward receivers(normally a lineman not accustomed to handling the ball) will fumble theball into the hands of the kicking team. This attempt at gaining controlof the ball is rarely successful since the ball is kicked at a fairlyhigh rate of speed and reaches the receiving team considerably beforethe kicking team has a chance for recovery. Linemen generally areinstructed not to attempt to recover on-side kicks unless they have anobvious chance for recovery; otherwise the ball is propelled into themid area of the field to be handled by a player who is accustomed toball handling. The instant invention provides a means of lofting thekicked ball to a sufficient height to permit the kicking team togetunder it for possible recovery. Additionally, this employment permitsthe kicking team to loft the ball to a point on the field unknown to thereceiver, thus gaining a tactical advantage.

The 'kick-oif presents a third possible tactic. Besides the on-side(short) kick and the long kick, the ball may be dumped (lobbed) by anintermediate length kick so it lands just behind the forward line ofreceivers between the sidelines. This kick is used when the receivingteam has vacated that area to reinforce. the forward sector of thefield.

In all of the above-noted kicks, normally used on kick-off, the ballmust be positioned and kicked in a particular manner. The on-side kickis performed by striking the ball with the inside of the foot, using asoccer-type kick to engage the ball below an imaginary half-way line.The ball should be spinning counter-clockwise and should be. kept to aheight below the waist to give the required distance and favorablebounce. The long kick and the lobbed kick are performed in theconventional manner with the angle of support of the ball and point offoot engagement generally controlling the distance and height of thekick. For example, the 'ball should leave the tee at an angle of 45 formaximum distance and the lower the point of engagement, the higher thekick.

As can be seen from the discussion of the general principles of kicking,the point of engagement of the foot and the ball determines the type ofkick which is achieved. Previously used kicking tees are inadequatesince they limit the. area available for such engagement. The area whichmust be engaged on the football may be called the critical area andcomprises an area on the ball which may be defined by a contiguoussector comprising about one-third of the ball surface. Theconventionally used kicking tees do not make this critical areaavailable since they support the ball in a manner which precludesexposure of the lowest sector of the critical area without kicking thetee itself.

Briefly, this invention aids in the kicking of a football by providing atee which leaves the critical portion of the football completely exposedto the kickers foot. Thus, the point of engagement may be controlled, inorder to give the kicker the opportunity to kick the ball in theconventional manner or with an extreme or moderate loft,

thus making it possible to perform a unique type of on-side kick. Thetee, according to this invention, cornprises a base which rests on thefield having an open end, sides, and a closed end. Upstanding supportelements are provided on each side adjacent the open end and a raisedportion is provided at the closed end. In use, the foot of a kicker maypass through the open end and support elements, so that the criticalarea of the ball is completely exposed for foot engagement.

In view of the emphasis being placed on the kicking aspect of football,it is a primary object of this invention to provide a kicking tee forincreasing the accuracy of kickers, both in scoring and non-scoringkicks.

Another object is to provide a tee which supports the ball in a positionwherein the area of the ball available for foot engagement is increased.

A further object is to provide a tee which can be used to support a ballfor place-kicks, wherein the base element does not block any of thesurface facing the kicker.

Still another object is to provide a kicking tee which is safe to useand which conforms with the present rules of football.

The invention can best be understood by reference to the drawingswherein representative embodiments are illustrated and wherein thenumerals designate like elements. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the novel kickingtee, and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the novel kickingtee.

In FIG. 1 a base 2 is shown as comprising a generally U-shaped elementwherein an open end 4 is provided, a c osed end 6, and sides 8. Supportelements are provided on each side 8 adjacent open end 4, and a raisedportion 12 is provided at the closed end 6.

The entire tee may be an integral unit or the various components may bemanufactured separately and joined by conventional techniques. Thematerials of construction include any relatively rigid material, but aplastic is preferred for reasons of safety. By way of specific examplethe unit may be molded as an integral unit by such processes as blowmolding or injection molding, using a polyolefin or blend of po yolefinssuch as polyethylene, polypropylene, or a polyethylene-polypropyleneblend. In addition to synthetic plastics, natural materials such asrubbers may be used. Although metal and wood can be used, these areobviously less desirable for use on a football field where players oftenfall, and injury may result.

Returning to FIG. 1, the advantages of the invention may be seen bynoting that the football 14, shown in dotted lines, as supported at oneend by raised portion 12. It is noted that the presently usedregulations require that the supported end of the ball be not more thanone inch above the field so that the combined height of base 2 andraised portion 12 must be not more than one inch. In anticipation ofregulation changes, the tee may be provided with a raised portion 12,which is adjustable in height. For this last mentioned purpose, it ispossible to provide a separate element 12, having pins which arereceived in holes in base 2 at closed end 6. The engagement of the pinsin the holes can be adjusted, for example, by having a notched pin and amatchingly notched ho e, to the desired height. Other devices foradjusting the height when desired will be obvious to those skilled inthe art and any suitable device is contemplated for use with the noveltee of this invention. To aid in keeping the ball on the tee, the uppersurface 16 of raised portion 12 may be roughened by incorporatinggranular material therein or it may be grooved to increase thefrictional forces between the football and said raised portion 12,thereby preventing the ball from falling off the tee prior to the kick,as often happens in a strong wind.

The football 14 is also engaged by the tee at roughened areas 18 ofsupporting elements 10; these areas may be roughened in the mannerdescribed for upper surface 16.

The spacing of the two supporting elements 10 must be sufiicient toallow free passage of a kickers shoed foot and ankle. Accordingly, awidth of about 4-6 inches is inventionally used, but no specific widthis critical to this invention since it is obvious that the width of thekickers food depends on the particular kicker. By spacing the supportingelements 10 at the described width, the open end 4 is also spacedsufficiently to allow a free passage of the kickers shoed foot andankle. Thus, the entire surface of the football defined by theunsupported sector facing the kicker is avai able for foot engagementthus increasing the control of the kicker over his kick. This feature isto be distinguished from conventional tees which provide no open end 4and thereby eliminate the lower portion of the football surface sectorfacing the kicker. Also, those tees which support the football bysupports spaced at a distance less than the width of the kickers shoedfoot and ankle eliminate an additional portion of the football surfacesector facing the kicker. It may be desirable, to ensure free passage ofthe kickers foot, that the inner portion of the side walls and of theraised portion be beveled as at surface 50 and 52, of FIG. 2, thusreducing the obstruction to the cleats of the kickers shoe. As can beseen from FIG. 1, the relation of the raised portion 12 and thesupporting elements 10 is such that a ball resting on its point onportion 12 is in substantially its maximum vertical position.

Turning to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of a football tee according tothe present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment a V-shaped base32 is used which comprises an open end 34, a closed end 36, and sides38. Support elements 40 are provided on each side 38 adjacent open end34 and a raised portion 42 is provided at closed end 36. The materialsof construction and methods of formation may be the same as thosedescribed with reference to FIG. 1. Again, the combined height of base32 and raised portion 42 must presently be limited to not more than oneinch, 2 inches by some ru es, but adjustment devices are contemplated.The upper surface 46 of raised portion 42 is roughened as beforementioned, as are the areas 48 of supporting elements 40. The supporting elements 40 and the open end 34 are spaced to allow free passageof the kickers foot. Surfaces 50 and 52 of the side walls 38 and raisedportion 42 respectively are beveled.

By way of specific example, which should not be interpreted as limitingthe invention, the following suitable dimensions are mentioned:

The supporting elements height may be approximately 4-6 inches, thelength of the open end may be about 4-6 inches. The width of allelements may be about V2 inch. The specific shape of the base is in noway limiting so long as the required open end is provided. Similarly,the shape of the supporting elements is in no way limiting so long asthe proper spacing is provided; for example, FIG. 1 shows astraight-backed element with a curved edge while FIG. 2 shows a curvedelement. Any design is suitable and all obvious modifications arecontemplated herein.

It may be appreciated from the above description that the presentinvention provides a tee adapted to increase the efiiciency of thekicking aspect of football and such other games which involve placekicking a ball. By supporting the ball in the manner described herein, agreater portion of the critical area is available for foot engagementthereby increasing the kickers control over the disposition of his kick.

Having described the invention in full, clear and complete terms andhaving given specific non-limiting examples what is desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. A tee for supporting a ball for a place kick which comprises a basehaving a fiat planar bottom surface, a front end, two sides connected tosaid front end and extending rearwardly therefrom, the sides beingspaced from one another along the entirety of their rearward extensionto provide an open space between said sides to freely pass a kickersfoot, an upstanding supporting element provided on each of said sides ata point adjacent the rear end of each side, only a single raised portionprovided on the upper surface of said front end, said raised portionhaving a top surface of a shape to provide substantially a point contactwith a ball resting thereon, said raised portion and said upstandingelements being so related that a ball resting in said tee with its pointon said raised portion is in substantially its maximum verticalposition.

2. The tee of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of said base is beveled.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1963 Pogue. 3/1967 Cullity.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner 15 T. BROWN, Assistant Examiner

